Kansas State's Rodney McGruder, left, knocks the ball from the hands of Michigan's Eso Akunne during the second half of the Wolverines' 71-57 victory Friday in the NIT Season Tip-Off at Madison Square Garden.

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Tim Hardaway Jr. put on a show Friday. And what better place to do it than on a stage even the pros consider one of the biggest and brightest in all of basketball, Madison Square Garden.

The 6-foot-6 junior guard scored 23 points on 10-of-15 shooting as No. 4 Michigan blasted Kansas State, 71-57, in the championship game of the NIT Season Tip-Off.

All that could keep Hardaway from pestering the Wildcats was a hard crash to the floor with 3:37 remaining. He left the game at that point as a precautionary measure, yet the outcome was decided long before then as K-State suffered its first defeat following a 5-0 start.

“The biggest thing is his work ethic. That just doesn’t happen,’’ Michigan coach John Beilein said of Hardaway, whose father played 15 seasons in the NBA and was a five-time All-Star.

“He’s got great DNA, but DNA doesn’t get you there alone. You have to have great work ethic like his father did, and that is the big thing. That young man is in the gym all the time.’’

At the Garden, Hardaway seemed to be everywhere K-State didn’t want him. He also grabbed seven rebounds, while another son of a former NBA player, Glenn Robinson III, grabbed 13 boards to lead a 42-30 advantage for Michigan (5-0) on the glass.

“Rebounding has been our strength, and they end up punking us on the boards, 42-30,’’ K-State coach Bruce Weber said. “That’s supposed to be our strength, and they made it their strength.’’

This, against a K-State team that hadn’t been outrebounded all season. But then, the Cats also hadn’t played a team the caliber of Michigan, or seen opponents as good as Hardaway or Robinson.

Or, for that matter, Trey Burke. The standout point guard was in foul trouble during a scoreless first half, but he recovered for 10 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists, though he did commit five turnovers.

Those errors didn’t matter. Not when Michigan shot 51.8 percent.

By contrast, the Cats shot 36.7 percent. Their top scorer, Rodney McGruder, didn’t connect from the field until 9:41 remained and the Cats were down 21. He finished with 16 points, while Angel Rodriguez added 10 points and six assists.

“In the first half if you look at it, we were right there,’’ McGruder said. “But we didn’t keep pressuring the way we should have. It was a missed opportunity. Not many times do you play the No. 4 team in the country in Madison Square Garden.’’

K-State was bidding to become the fourth Big 12 program to win the NIT Season Tip-Off and join Kansas (1989, ’93, ’97), Texas A&M (2007) and Oklahoma (2008).

After clawing back from a poor start to pull within 29-24 at halftime, the Cats got smoked to begin the second half and couldn’t recover. The Wolverines turned an immediate 8-0 run into a 14-3 spurt. They scored on seven of their first 10 second-half possessions. During that stretch, the Cats managed just a 3-pointer by Rodriguez.

“It was just bad shots. We took four rushed shots and they got transition,’’ Weber said. “You spot them six to start the game. You spot them eight in the second half, and now, I think we doubted (ourselves) a little bit.

“Now you miss some shots or you rush some plays. They got some energy, too, which we had kind of grinding it out and making them fight the whole first half.’’

By doubting, the Wildcats didn’t execute the system Weber introduced as their new coach.

They took some bad shots they weren’t able to follow. They also missed some easy shots underneath. The poor shooting prevented K-State from being good offensively in spite of just six turnovers.

“It all starts in practice, just putting in that extra time in the gym just learning what our coaches have given to us,’’ said senior center Jordan Henriquez. “They want us to buy in, we have to buy in.’’

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Bruce isn't the problem... The problem is nobody on K-States roster knows how to run an offense. They where use to everyone clearing out for one player to score (i.e. Beasley, then Pullen, & lastly McGruder)... This is why K-State couldn't take the next step with Martin and beat KU (besides once in a blue moon). Now it is rearing its ugly head with Bruce. Hopefully with time and senior leadership this squad can learn to work within the offense; instead of trying to operate off of one player.